Advisor referral

• US 7,962,347 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harvey, Louis S., Anthony-Hoppe, Trudy K., Skovron, John D., Lavoie, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/814,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

An apparatus and method for an advisor referral tool for objectively matching professional services between users and advisors in an on-line or computer based environment. The advisor referral tool matches users with professional advisors by executing an advisor matching algorithm to select a subset of advisors from an advisor database based on user selected search criteria. A server computer calculates a percent match value for each advisor in the subset of advisors that corresponds to consumer responses to predetermined psychographic/profile questions. The server computer then creates a best fit advisor list of advisors from the subset of advisors that is based on the calculated percent match value. The best fit advisor list is then transmitted to and displayed on the user'"'"'s computer.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable-media comprising instructions that, responsive to being executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to:

identify a set of investment advisors based on a first set of criteria developed in response to receipt of one or more answers to investment-related questions;

identify a subset of investment advisors from the set of investment advisors based on a second set of criteria developed in response to receipt of one or more of;

a revised answer to at least one of the investment related questions;

or

an answer to an additional investment related question; and

cause to be available for display a list of names of investment advisors that are included in the subset.

2. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 1, wherein one or more of the investment-related questions pertain to a qualification rating.

3. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 2, wherein the qualification rating comprises one or more of professional standards rating, a state certification, or an organizational membership.

4. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 1, wherein the investment-related questions pertain to one or more of a type of professional service, an advisor matching profile, a compensation method, a primary residence location, or a travel distance.

5. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 1, wherein one or more criteria of the first set of criteria or the second set of criteria are weighted, and wherein the list of names of investment advisors is presented based at least in part on a weight associated with each of the one or more criteria.

6. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 1, wherein the list of names of investment advisors is configured to be presented in an order according to a percentage match value with respect to one or more of the first set of criteria or the second set of criteria.

7. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 1, wherein one or more names in the list of names of investment advisors is configured to be selectable to obtain more information about a respective investment advisor.

8. One or more computer readable-media comprising instructions that, responsive to being executed by a computing system, implement a method comprising:

identifying a set of services based on criteria developed in response to receipt of one or more answers to service-related questions;

identifying a subset of services from the set of services based on additional criteria developed in response to receipt of one or more of;

a revised answer to at least one of the service-related questions;

or

an answer to an additional service-related question; and

causing to be available for display a list of one or more of the services that are included in the subset.

9. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 8, wherein the set of services pertain to one or more of tax services, insurance services, investment services, retirement services, or estate planning services.

10. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 8, wherein the services that are included in the subset are identified at least in part based on a percentage match value with respect to the one or more answers to service-related questions and one or more of:

the revised answer to at least one of the service-related questions;

or

the answer to the additional service-related question.

11. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 8, wherein the service-related questions pertain to one or more of a type of professional service, a qualification rating, a rating profile, an advisor matching profile, a compensation method, a primary residence, a search area, or a travel distance.

12. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 11, wherein the qualification rating comprises one or more of professional standards rating, a state certification, or an organizational membership.

13. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 8, wherein the list of the one or more of the services that are included in the subset includes a plurality of services and where the plurality of services are presented in an order based on a percentage match of each of the plurality of services to the one or more answers to service-related questions and one or more of:

the revised answer to at least one of the service-related questions;

or

the answer to the additional service-related question.

14. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 8, wherein the one or more of the services that are included in the subset are selectable to obtain more information about the one or more of the services that are included in the subset.

15. One or more computer readable-media comprising instructions that, responsive to being executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to generate a graphical interface configured to:

receive input including answers to a first set of service-related questions, the first set of service-related questions being configured to identify a set of professional services;

present a second set of service-related questions, the second set of service-related questions including one or more of;

a revised version of one or more questions of the first set of service-related questions;

or

an additional service-related question; and

cause to be displayed a subset of the professional services, the subset being identified based at least in part on one or more answers to the second set of service-related questions.

16. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 15, wherein the set of professional services pertains to one or more of tax services, insurance services, investment services, retirement services, or estate planning services.

17. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 15, wherein one or more of the first set of service-related questions or the second set of service-related questions pertain to one or more of a type of professional service, a qualification rating, a rating profile, an advisor matching profile, a compensation method, a primary residence, a search area, or a travel distance.

18. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 17, wherein the qualification rating comprises one or more of professional standards rating, a state certification, or an organizational membership.

19. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 15, wherein the subset of professional services is configured to be presented in an order based at least in part on a percentage match of each professional service of the subset of professional services to one or more service-related questions of the first set of service-related questions or the second set of service-related questions.

20. The one or more computer readable-media of claim 15, wherein the graphical interface is further configured to enable one or more professional services of the subset of professional services to be selectable to obtain more information about the one or more professional services.